Umbrella rib and stretcher and attaching means therefor



C. E. BUNKER UMBRELLA RIB AND STRETCHER AND ATTACHING MEANS THEREFOR Filed May 17. 1922 ,C LZZ.Iii-$5 23 a I Snow-H01 Patented @et. 2, 1%23.

CAREY E. BUNKER, OF OREGON, FMISSOURI.

UMBRELLA BIB AND STRE-TCEER AND ATTACHING .ME ANS THEREFOR.

Application filed May 17, 1922. Serial No. 561,647.

To all "(U/ 10m it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CAREY E. BUNKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gregon, in the county of Holt and. State of Missouri, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrella Ribs and Stretchers and Attaching Means Therefor, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. g

It is the purpose of the-present invention to provide an article or this kind including attaching means for detachably connecting a rib to the wire bearing of the collarat the top of the umbrella stick, or for connecting the stretcher to a wire bearing of a collar on the runner, whereby therib or stretcher may be attached to these respective parts, without removing the wire bearing or cutting the same. V

Another purpose isto provide attaching means for a rib or stretcher, whereby the stretcher or rib may be connected to the wire bearing without removing the wire, and after-the stretcher or r b is'connected it cannot be detached without first springing the catch or removing the wire bearing.

A still further purpose is to provide at taehing means for a stretcher or rib, so that the rib or stay may be attached or detached to the wire bearing, without breaking the catch and without removing the wire beari. still further purpose is the provision of attaching means for a stretcher or rib comprising a rib body, which is U-shaped in cross section for the reception of a shank of a spring, which has an arm overlying the wire bearing engaging notch 'oi the head of the stay or rib, to retain the wirebearing in the notch, either so it can be detached, or cannot be detached, without removing the wire bearing, or without breaking the spring catch.

Furthermore the invention has forits purpost theprovision of means caused to be formed in the sides or" the "U-shaped-body of the stretcher or rib, for the purposeof retaining the shank of the spring catch in engagement or. connected tothe body of the rib or stretcher.

It is tobe understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitative and that while still keepingwithin the scope of the invention, any desired modifications of detail and desired proportions may bemade in the apparatus according to circumstances. The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as willbe herein after set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:---- E Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a rib or stretcher of the umbrella, showing the improvedv attaching means-applied; i

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the end of a stretcher or rib, showing va construction similar tothat shown in Figure l Figure 3 is a detail perspective view. of the spring;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of an end portion of a stretcher or rib, showing amodified construction of attachingineans, whereinthe rib or stretcher may be disconnected from its wire bearing, without removing the wire bearing, and withoutzb'reaking the catch or spring. V. i

Figure 5 is a crosssectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the manner of attaching the spring to the body of the stretcher or rib;

Figure6 is a view in side elevation showinga modified form of attaching meansfor therib or stretcher, wherein an overlying hook is stationary or fixed relatively to the body ofthe'stretcheror rib, to retain the rib orstretcher securely attached} to-its' wire bearing, and also showing a, modified arrangement ot'the spring; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the character shownin Figure 5, showingthe shank of the rib' or stretcher rectangularin cross section;

Figure 8 isa detail perspective View of the spring, showing a modified construction, wherein the grooves 12 in Figure 3 are eliminated, and in their stead notchesare substi-V tuted.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bodyof alstretcher or rib, whichiis of the usual construction, in so far as its'cross sectional shape is concerned. In other words the body of thestretcher is U-shaped in cross section, therefore the body of the stretcher ofthe umbrella stick.

or otherwise arranging or constructing the sides to attain the result as at 2. V

The end of 'the rib or stretcher is enlarged, as shown at 3, and the end of the enlarge.- ment, especially in Figures 1, 2 and at is provided with a wire bearing engaging cavity or recess it. in other words this cavity or recess elreceives the wire bearing, which is V mounted in the usual groove (not shown) of the collar on the top of the umbrella stick, OIJI'ECQTVQS the wire bearing of the collar which isz'carried by the runner (not shown) In fact in the construction' "of umbrellas, the ribs and the stretchers are connected to'collars, the upper one being carried by the umbrella stick, the lower one is usually carried by the runner, used ior opening the umbrella.

Aspiring catch 5'is arranged adjacent one edge 6 ofthe enlargement 3, and has a shank 7, which is offset from the portion 8 of the spring'catch, due t the formation of the curved portions 9, at a point where the shank connects with the sprin catch: The portion Set the spring catch when in its holding position lies flat against the edge 6 of the body 3 of the stretcher or rib, whereas the shank 7 engages the channel of the stretcher 01: rib. The junction where the spaced sidesof the U-shaped body of the stretcher or rib merge into the pressed to- 'gether portions of the sides of the stretcher,

conform to the curvatures 9, which connect the spring catch and its shank 7, so as to reintorce the spring catcl1,-and to assist in holding the shank in its position against movement toward the end of the stretcher in which the cavity or recess 4 is formed The oppos'ite-sidesof the ill-shaped stretcher or rib are swaged toward'eadr'other, thereby causing to befornied projections 11 engaging each other, and overlying the shank of the'spring catch. in fact the shank? of the spi catch is provided with ar'cnate shaped grooves or recesses 12, which are engaged by the overlying projections or protuberances 11, lthereby not only acting to lock the catch of the spring catch inthe U-shape'd body of the stretcher or rib, but also acting to prevent longitudinal movement of the shank.- The portion 8 of the spring catch is capable'of being sprung laterally, to permit the wire bearing to enter the cavity or recess 4%. In fact the terminal of the portion 8 of thespringcatch is curved, as shown at 18, and this curved portion overlies the foreshortened side wall of the cavity orrecess, acting to materially retain the wire bearing in the" cavityor recess. The termi nalor extremity er the curved portion 13 contacts with the overlying wall or arm 14,

,which adjoins the cavity or recess 4,. The

' a'djacenten'dsof thearm or wall 14 and the curved portion of thespring catch are provaried with beveled faces 15, so that by engaging the wire bearing between these inclined faces, and applying sufficient pressure to the rib or stretcher, the curvedpon tion 18 and the arm 1 1 will separate. In fact the curved portion 13- will spring laterally, to permit the wire to enter. Since the curved portion 13 in Figures land 2 is more abrupt, than the curvature of the curved portion in Figure 4, it will act to overlie the wire bearing, and retain the rib or stretcher as connected thereto. in other words by this construction of the abrupt curvature-of the portion 13 of the spring catch, it is possible to pull upon the stretcher or rib, and it will not disconnect from the wire beari-ngoi the Collar'at the upper end of the umbrella stick, or the collar on "the runner. F or instance the pull can be in a direction longitudinally of the stretcher or rib, and since the curved portions 9 (which are located'adjacent the shank) abut'where the opposite walls of the stretcher merge together, the spring catch will not yield, and permit the wire to'be removed or disengaged from the cavity 0 recess 4:.

'However the curvature of the portion 13 of the spring catch in Figure 4: is more gradual, so is the corresponding edge or face of the overlying arm or wall of'the recess or cavity l, so that by any pull on the stretcher in direction longitudinally of the stretcher or rib, the wire hearin will cause the portion 13 to separate and permit'the stretcher ib to become'detached. The urved portion 13 of the spring catch (in Figure 1) has its extremity 16 partly my derlying the extremity of the armor wall 14:,

in order to insure the prevention of the ures 1 to 1 inclusive,'is eliminated, and the arm or wall 1 1 of the'enlargement 3 is extraordinarily long, and its end face 17 is beveled, with which the extremity 1 8 of the spring catch 5 engages. the spring catch an Figure 6 is beveled as at19, in order to perm'itthe w're bearing to engage betwoenthe beveled surfaces l7'and 19 in order to cause the spring catch 5 to separate fromthe enlargement 3, andper- Init the wire bearing to enter the cavity'or recess 4.

In detaching the stretcher or rib in Figurcs 1, 2 and 6, it is necessary to use a suitable tool to spring the catch ina lateraldirection,'in order to permit the wire to leave the cavity or recess. V i v The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is: i

1. In an attaching device for umbrella ribs, a body having'an enlargement at one end provided with a recess forthe' reception The extremity of ice of a wire bearing of an umbrella, a spring catch connected to the body and overlying one edge of said enlargement and provided with an extension overlying the recess, the

adjacent ends of the extension and the'overlying wall of the recess being provided with bearing to to be engaged by the wire bearing, to permit opening.

3. Umbrella rib attaching meanscompri s-r I ing a ribsubstantially U-shaped in cross section, the end portion of said, rib being enlarged and provided'with a recess, and a resilient'member disposed in the channel of the U-shaped rib and coacting with the recess,

of the rib to provide an opening.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. I

CAREY E, BUNKER.

15' the wire bearing to enter said spring closed g i 

